Brake mechanism.



T. W. NEWBURN.

BRAKE MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE e, 1913.

Patented May 5, 1914.

50 N: v .KU R gwmv. N Q R COLUMBIA FLANoGRAi H C0,, WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

TI-IEOIDORE WaNEWBURYN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BRAKE MECHANISM.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it .known that I, THEODORE WV. NEW- ing at Cleveland, in the countyof Guyahoga and State of Ohio have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement 1n Brake Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to car brakes, and especially to brakes of thetype known to the trade as hand brakes. As heretofore constructed, thesebrakes have usually been provided with a vertical stafi having at theupper end a brake lever or a brake wheel so located as to beconveniently operated, the bottom of the staff projecting through thecar floor and being attached to one end of a chain, the other endwhereof is connected to a brake rod, which rod in turn is connected tothe brake shoe levers. By turning the brake wheel in the appropriatedirection, the chain is wound up, causing the brake rod to be drawntoward the stall, thus forcing the brake shoes against the car wheels,by means of the levers and connections ordinarily'prd vided between suchrod and shoes.

It is the object of this invention to provide a hand brake of theforegoing type with simple and eifective means whereby, when the brakestaff is rotated a short distance by hand, the chain is quickly,effectively, and automatically wound up to brakeapplying position andthe brakes applied to the wheels, saving the operator the labor and timewhich would otherwise be consumed in taking up this lost motion inoperating the brake staff by hand; also to provide means whereby thebrakes may be securely held in released position without the necessityfor employing a positive lock or catch; that will enable the operator toapply and release the brake shoes merely by manipulating the ordinarybrake wheel or lever with the use of an ordinary pawl andratchet forholding the brakes in applied position.

WVith the foregoing general objects in view, the invention may bedefined still more generally as consisting of the combinations ofelements embodied in the claims hereto annexed and illustrated in thedrawings forming part hereof, wherein Figure 1 represents a sideelevation of a car having applied thereto brake mechanism constructed inaccordance with my invention; and Fig. 2 a somewhat diagrammaticSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June6, 1313.

' Patented May 5, 1914. Serial m5. 772,034.

plan view of said mechanism; the view corresponding to the line 22 ofFig. '1.

Describing by reference characters the various parts illustrated herein,A denotes the brakeshoes, said brake shoes being carried by'levers Bconnected at their lower ends by a link 6. One of the levers B is freeto move at its upper end and is con nected to a rod 6. The other leveris pivotally supported at its upper end, as from a bracket Z2 which iscarried by. a part of the car truck, afragment of such part beingindicated at 6 The rods 6 are connected to the usual equalizing bar 2),whereby the brake shoes on opposite sides of the car may be applied andreleased by the same opera tion. The brake rod 0 is connected at oneendto the equalizing bar 72 and at the opposite end to a cross bar D, asis usual in the brake rigging construction. It will be noted that thebrake rod G is connected to the cross bar D at one side of the center.From a corresponding point on the opposite side of the center of thiscross bar'there extends abrake rod C which is connected to the sameparts at the opposite end of the car as the rods C. The opposite ends ofthe cross bar Dare connected by chains d to rods E and E, said rodsextending toward the opposite ends of the car and being connected to thehand brake mechanism in thesame manner. The description of one of thehand brake mechanisms and the connections between the same and one ofthe rods E, IE will therefore suflice for both. In the embodiment of myinvention as illustrated herein and in the construction thus fardescribed, I have purposely selected a very simple form of brakerigging, in order to avoid any confusion as to the mode of ap plicationof'my invention thereto. It will be understood to those skilled in theart that my invention may be applied equally well to brake riggingadapted to be operated by compressed air; but illustration of such airbrake rigging is omitted for the reasons stated.

It will be observed that the rod E is connected to one end of the leverD by one of the chains (1, and a coil spring F is connected at one ofits ends to saidrod and at its opposite-end to a fixed portion of thecar body, indicated at f. The end of the rod opposite that which isconnected to the lever D is connected to a chain G which extends arounda pair of wheels 9 and g, 10-

cated preferably beneath the car platform g The wheel 9 may be providedwith teeth or projections, as shown, although this is unnecessary, thiswheel serving to keep the chain from becoming too slack. The wheel g,being a driving gear for the chain, will be provided with teeth orprojections whereby the chain may be driven. The gear or sprocket wheelg is mounted upon and rigid with the stub shaft 76 having a gear wheel Hthereon which meshes with a pinion I on the brake staff K, the brakestaff extending through the platform and being shown as provided with ahand wheel L. This brake staff will be provided with the usual ratchet0, there being a cooperating pawl P for said ratchet. To limit the throwof the chain by the spring F, the end of the rod E is provided with astop M which is adapted to engage a projection N which may beconveniently carried by and beneath the car body or platform.

WVith the parts constructed as illustrated and described, the operationwill be as fol lows :-Assuming that it is desired to apply the brakes,the operator turns the hand wheel L, thereby driving the chain G throughthe pinion I, gear H, and driving gear or sprocket wheel 9, the purposeof the pinion I and gear wheel H being to secure the necessarymultiplication of power for setting the brakes. The chain being drivenin the direction of the arrow on Fig. 2, as soon as the stop-providedend of the rod E passes the center of the stub shaft g on which thewheel 9 is mounted, the spring F will operate the rod E and, through it,the rods C and G, quickly taking in the slack of the chain Gr until thebrake shoes A are in contact with the wheels W. The force of this springis not sufficient to set the brakes and, after the brakes are in contactwith the wheels, the hand wheel L is operated to so set the brakes. Thenit is desired to release the brakes, the operator turns the hand wheel Lin the opposite direction, winding the chain Gr against the action ofthe spring F until the end of the rod E passes the center of the stubshaft 9 when the spring operates to move the rod until the stop Mengages the projection N. It will be understood that the rod E extendsto the opposite platform of the car and that it is operated in the samemanner as the rod E, enabling the brakes to be applied and released fromsuch platform.

By the construction provided herein, it will be apparent that I haveproduced a mechanism whereby the brakes may be positively andeffectively released; that will retain the brakes securely in theirreleased position and prevent the shoes from dragging against the wheelsand without the employment of a positive lock or catch; that enables theoperator to apply and release the brakes merely by the manipulation ofthe usual brake wheel or brake lever, with the use of an ordinary pawland ratchet for holding the brakes in their applied position; and onethat, when moved a short predetermined distance by the operator, willquickly and automatically take up the slack and the other lost motion inthe brake rigging.

It will be evident that other means than the tension spring F may beemployed to throw the rod E in a direction to apply the brakes and toautomatically operate the chain E and the connected parts to brakeapplying position. The form shown herein, however, is one which is notonly simple of construction but particularly practical in operation.

While I have necessarily described my invention in detail, it will beunderstood that these details may be departed from more or less withoutavoiding the spirit of my invention; and I do not propose to be limitedby such specific description and illustration to the exact details ofconstruction, except as such details may be positively included in theclaims hereto annexed or such limitation may be rendered necessary bythe state of the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In mechanism ofthe character set forth, the combination of a brake rod, a chainconnected thereto, gears or Wheels around which said chain extends, abrake staff, a driving connection between said staff and one of saidwheels or gears, a stop at one side of the other gear or wheel andadapted to limit the movement of the brake rod, and a spring tending tomove said rod toward said gears or wheels.

2. In mechanism of the character set forth, the combination of a brakerod, a chain connected thereto, gears or wheels around which said chainextends, a brake staff, a driving connection between said staff and oneof said wheels or gears, a stop at one side of the gears or wheels andadapted to limit the movement of the brake rod toward brake-applyingposition, and means tending to move said rod toward such position.

3. In mechanism of the character set forth, the combination of av brakerod, means tending to move the same to brake-applying position, a stoparranged to limit the movement of the rod in such direction, andbrakesetting means connected with said rod and adapted to move the sameaway from said stop to permit further movement of the rod in suchdirection by the first mentioned means.

4. In mechanism of the character set forth the combination of abrake-rod, means tending to move the same to brake applying position, astop limiting the movement of the rod in such direction, a brake staff,and

brake-setting mechanism operated from said staff for applying the brakesand for moving the brake rod away from its stop to enable the firstmentioned means to operate.

5. In mechanism of the character set forth, the combination of a brakerod, a spring connected thereto and tending to move the rod tobrake-applying position, a stop for limiting the movement of said rod insuch direction, and operating means adapted to move the rod away fromthe stop and permit the movement of the brake rod, by the spring, tobrake-applying position.

6. In mechanism of the character set forth, the combination of a brakerod, an endless chain to which said rod is connected, a pair of wheelsor gears around which said chain passes, means for rotating one of saidwheels or gears to drive the chain, means tending to move the brake rodand the connected chain to brake-applying position, and

a stop at one side of the center of one of the chain gears or Wheels forlimiting the movement of the brake rod in such direction on that side ofsaid gear or wheel.

7. In 'mechanism of the character set forth, the combination of a brakerod, an endless chain to which said rod is connected, a pair of wheelsor gears around which said chain passes, means for rotating one of saidwheels or gears to drive the chain, means tending to move the brake rodand the connected chain to brake-applying position, and a stop on oneside of one of the chain gears or wheels for limiting the movementof thebrake rod in such direction.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto-affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

THEODOME W. NEWBURN.

Witnesses:

JOHN B. HULL, ALBERT H. BATES.

copies of this patent may be obtained or five cents each, by addressingthe commissioner of lstentl, Washington, D. G.

